>> steven elliott bellson. >> paul m.benedetti. >> brian craig bennett. >> eric l. bennett. >> oliver bennett. >> margaret l. benson. >> james patrick burger. >> steven howard burger. >> john p. bergen. >> alvin birdsong. >> daniel david burgstein. >> michelle j. berkeley. >> my uncle, firefighter james gray, we love you and miss you. >> my husband, i love you every day and miss you every day and so do the kids. the boys just started college. i know you would be so proud of them. and maria is in middle school right now and she's doing great. say hello to golly for us. i love you.

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bill: live look at ground zero. family members and victims reading names of those lost with those personal touches that we hear every time this year. we await a moment of silence right now, marking the instant that united airlines flight 175 struck the south tower of the world trade center. that's where we start this morning as we move through this event together as a nation. welcome here to our coverage. i'm bill hemmer. how are you, martha? martha: i'm doing fine. good morning bill. good morning everybody. i'm martha maccallum. as we all remember 11 years later 9:03 a.m., september 11th, 2001 was the moment the second plane hit the towers. the moment many of us realized clearly our nation was under attack.

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on this day of remembrance we'll bring you the somber moments from ground zero, the pentagon and shanksville, pennsylvania and some of the memories what is good in some ways about the strength and courage and power of patriotism in the country on that day. bill: as family members take turns stepping up to the microphone you will see various shots throughout the skyline here in new york city. the freedom tower, formally known as the freedom tower, now world trade center 1. about a year and a half. 1776 feet tall. it is a remarkable sight to see. what they have accomplished in lower manhattan. and also it's up for debate as what they have yet to get done. we'll move through all the top ibbs throughout the day here. it was so striking to hear, say hello to daisy up there. daisy could be the pet dog or pet cat or maybe the goldfish that left us some time ago. it is those poignant moments

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we will hear on and on the next couple hours. >> my sister-in-law. [moment of silence]

>> yvonne bonomo. >> genevieve bonsignore. >> mary jane booth. >> sheri an bordeaux. >> christine bordenabe. >> martin, boryczew ask. i. >> richard edward besco. >> my aunt see seal king. we love you and miss you every day. we will never forgot. >> my son firefighter frank esposito and my nephew, captain michael esposito we miss you daily. may god keep you safe. >> the moment, that is the second tower was hit was clearly a loss of innocence, a loss of beliefing that it cobe anything but an attack

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on the united states and a realization as a nation we would never really be the same again after this moment. and also, that, we would most likely soon be at war in one way or another. and all of that in these moments, 11 years ago began to sink in. you look at that beautiful reflecting pool that marks that spot at ground zero. all of it opened last year. bill and i were down there and watched as those ceremonies took place. it is a striking, striking memorial. i have to say this morning on my way into the city it was dark and the red, white and blue on the tower of world trade center 1 was overwhelming to me. it was so moving. and it is not yet finished which some people are not too happy about but, boy, it is quite a sight on the skyline of new york city now. bill: if you have been to the memorial site or maybe have plans to come in the coming year or years to come, those pools sit within the

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footprints where the twin towers once stood, north and south tower. those reflecting pools that come in and out of your camera view here. nearly an acre inside. that gives you a sense how enormous these man-made structures were in lower manhattan. it is the largest man-made waterfalls in north ameri. eric shawn live at ground zero and with us now. eric, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, bill. it is a day just like that day 11 years ago. a tuesday, crisp and clear. beautiful blue sky, people rushing to work as i was that day when suddenly i herd a loud plane above me and looked up. a few other people did too. it was very low. i remember thinking man, is that plane low. it may hit a building. it was crabbing this way, going to the right before it disappeared over the building line. now i know it was making a turn, american airlines

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flight 11 piloted by mohammed atta as he took a direct line of sight into the world trade center and hit the north tower. it is a morning which defiant anger all these years has in large way given to continued deep sorrow. a morning of tears and tribute during the ceremony as we listen to reading of the names. 2693 names in all of those who have perished. it will be a total of six moments of silence during this solemn and somber remembrance. [bells ringing] and for the first time during this ceremony public officials are not addressing the gathering. they are attending. some like former new york

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city mayor rudy giuliani though fear after 11 years he believes the concern and the impact of what happened here is disappearing. >> i'm worried that too many americans may be forgetting and we can't forget. this is not over. it is not like pearl harbor. this is it still an ongoing war against us by islamist extremist terrorist who is have been planning for years to kill us. over 40 attacks have been foiled the last year alone. that gives you a sense this is an ongoing effort. we can't forget yet if some people want to. >> reporter: he lost many friends, the husband of his long-time personal assistant. her husband was fire captain terry hatten. people are gathered here. tourists, new yorkers. some with flags. some with signs a moment of quiet reflection on this

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very important day. martha, bill, back to you. martha: eric, thank you very much. as eric points out there are so many searing images burned into our minds and hearts from that day. who can forget the scene that then white house chief of staff andy card walked into a classroom at emma booker elementary school in sarasota, florida, leaning over, leaning down, whispering to the president that america was under attack. >> page 153. martha: who can forget that reaction on president bush's face. clearly the news was sinking in for him. he stayed calm for the children who were in front of him on the floor reading a book, but years later, even the children say they sensed of course that something was terribly wrong. andy card, former chief of

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staff for president george w. bush joins us now. andy, welcome. thank you for being with us today. >> thank you, thank you for the remembrances that you're generating. martha: you know i heard you many times recount what that moment was like, but today, you know, as we look back, tell us again, you know, when it sunk into you, when you relayed the message to the president, what was it like? >> standing at the door to the classroom the president did know a plane hit one of the toyers at the world trade center. he thought it was a small twin-engine prop mean. when i was told it was not a small twin-engine prop lean but a commercial airliner i knew the second plane hit i knew the president had to know about it. i passed fact, and one editorial comment and drew nothing to invite a question. i opened the door to the classroom. when it was appropriate i walked over to the president and leaned over into his right ear, a second plane

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hit a second tower, america is under attack. i stood back from him so they didn't ask me a question. i pleased how he responded. he did nothing to introduce fear to the very young students. i went back to the door. when he did not get up which i thought was appropriate i left the classroom and i thought that he was contemplating his responsibilities as commander-in-chief. awesome responsibilities where he took the oath to preserve and protect and defend. there is no conditional clause to that oath. president has to do it. and owe can't do it without a lot of help. today is a day for us to remember the victims, to remember the heroes and to thank those who are the shield and sword of america. because they're the ones that are protecting us today. martha: yeah. you know i was struck, andy, just a couple weeks ago before the conventions i watched the tape of president bush at his own convention, talking about how we were in prosperous times, how things were good. you know, that countries are challenged even in the best

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of times. it was such a different moment as he came into the presidency. no president can ever anticipate what he will be tested with, what he will be faced with. what was your impression of him as you watched him on that facing something that he never imagined would come his way and our country's way? >> i actually believed that day, even though he had taken the oath to be president of the united states, january 20th, 2001, i think it was september 11th, 2001, with the real responsibility of president, being president was received by the president of the united states. he had to be commander-in-chief. he had to be the comforter in chief. he had to be the rallier in chief. he had to be leader not only for america but of the world. he lived up to all of those responsibilities. i thought he did an awesome job being a truly great leader for our country during the most unimaginable

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challenge in the history of our country where we were attacked on our own soil. thousands of innocent people died. thousands of people who took an oath to answer a call to duty died and others had to take the call to duty to get into action to protect us and keep us safe and thankfully, president obama recognizes the responsibilities of that oath as well and he has done a lot to protect us. bill: andy, for the families here, they approach this day every year with a sense of dread and for good reason. even if people who live in new york city and in washington, who are not directly impacted by the events 11 years ago, they too have a sense of dread when the day always approaches but it seems a little bit of that has chipped off every year as we move further and further away. even if you look at some of the video that was filed that day, it is starting to take on age when you see the taxis, the police cars, the firefighter uniforms and, as

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we move further away from that moment, i guess we'll digest it in our own personal way as we always do and i was just curious about you, how do you approach this day? >> well, you know i was there when the president was asked by arlen howard, this was on friday, september 14th, 2001, when the president visited the world trade center aftermath and met with the families of the policemen and firemen that were missing and arlene howard handed the president a badge and looked him right in the eyes, i want you to have this. this is my son's badge. his name is george howard. don't ever forget him. president bush with tears in his eyes looked into mrs. howard's eyes and said, america will start to forget. they will move on, but don't worry about me, i will never forget. i feel that same obligation. i promised never to foreget. i don't look forward to this

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day but i do remember on this day and i think it's important all of us to do that. there are so many heroes and so many innocent victims and that day did change america. it changed us and changed the nature of the world. it put the world on notice. president bush was a strong leader when he said you're either with us or you're against us. when he said we would do everything we could to prevent the next attack, not just respond to the next attack. those were dramatic changes for our country and i was proud of his leadership. bill: will you communicate with him today in any sense? >> he and i exchanged an e-mail very, very early this morning. so, this is a day of remembrance for him and, and, yes, they was a day that changed president bush and all of those who worked with him. bill: do you care to share with us and our audience that transaction from earlier today by way of e-mail? >> i just, i thanked him for his leadership and called

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attention to the remembrance that we promised we would have, the victims and the heroes and those that helped to protect us and courage and compassion of a great american people. he had the same views. it was simple exchange. president bush is very efficient with his zeroes and ones as he texted but he's a very compassionate man who cares deeply about our country and all of the people in it. martha: andy, what do you remember about the moments, we talked about you relaying the message to him. but i remember you also talking about what happened once he came into the room, the questions he began to ask and the way his leadership kind of kicked in in those moments when he realized what was going on? >> he was very deliberate. he was all action. i remember the first thing he said when he walked into the holding room which was just off of that classroom where i had told him about the attack. he said, get the fbi

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director on the phone. fortunately the instructions had been given to get the fbi director on the phone before he walked in, so we could say, he is right here, mr. president. he then talked to the vice president and talked to governor pataki and other leaders. he worked on remarks for the american people that he delivered before an audience of 600 people. he thought he was there talking about leaving no child left behind and education and said he was going back to washington, d.c. i knew he wasn't going back to washington ton d.c. he and i had quite an argument because he wanted to go back toe washington. see set service and pilot of the air force one didn't want to go back until we knew what happened. we went to louisiana. landed there. took some people off air force one. we flew to omaha, nebraska, strategic air command center and went down into a deep

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bunker. the whole time the president was deliberate, decisive, strong leader. he did not want to be disruptive to the responsibilities that were being met by the people getting planes safely on the ground and, coming to better understand the nature of the attacks so we commit gait any challenges. martha: just want to mention on the other side of the screen we've been watching as governor cuomo entered there today. governor christie from new jersey also is there for this ceremony. but nobody is making speeches. the political speeches is something part of the past in terms of the recognition on this day. really so much focus is on the families and we're watching them as they continue to name the victims and their family members that they are remembering on this day. it is, you know, you look at the, just andy and bill, you look as you drive around new york city i'm often struck by the bumper stickers and the decals on people's cars that say, never forget, that are still there. i every time i them i have

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to say it does remind we should never ever forget what happened and dedication of the courage and people on the scene that day. very, very important, i believe, that children understand what happened that day and that, you know, you look back over people's lives over generation, pearl harbor and those kind of moments in history, this was that moment in this country, in our history that truly changed us. so much sacrifice and so much courage. bill: screen left is new york city. it always goes first on this day, followed by washington, d.c., across the potomac and pentagon and we get to shanksville, pennsylvania, toward the end of this hour of our coverage. we expect to see the president and first lady at the pentagon in a matter of moments. there will be a wreath-laying ceremony at 9:37 a.m. to the minute when the plane hit the pentagon. you have mentioned the note about politics today. the negative advertising on behalf of the president, mittromney have been taken off the air for today,

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especially in those battleground states that are so heavily fought now. and to that extent politics has been set aside for about 24 hours. but we will quickly move back to that for tomorrow once this day is over. andy card, thank you for your time. >> thank you. bill: wonderful to get your thoughts and reflections and hear you talk and speak to our viewers as no one else can. thank you, sir. martha: thanks to andy card for the role that he played on that day, andy, thank you very much. so now, to our national security correspondent jennifer griffin who is live at the pentagon with an update on what we are seeing happening there this morning. good morning, jennifer. >> reporter: good morning, martha. we're standing here waiting for the president. his motorcade is supposed to leave the white house any minute. he is supposed to be here in time for the moment of silence which will take place at 9:37 exactly. that is exactly when american airlines flight 77 slammed into the outer ring of the pentagon, slicing

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through three rings of the pentagon, killing 184 people including 59 people who were onboard the plane that day. what is really beautiful behind me if you have a chance and you're in washington and you can stop by the pentagon memorial, it was completed four years ago and it has benches for each of the 184 people that were killed. it is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. it literally looks like these benches are floating at night. each one has a name of one of the victims on board. what also strikes me, martha, as we wait here, over to my right is arlington national cemetery. for the pentagon and everyone who works in the pentagon, everyone in the military, every day for the last 11 years has been a repeat of 9/11. everyone fighting in afghanistan remembers 9/11 each day. more than 68,000 troops over there fighting. they had a ceremony at camp leatherneck where the marines are in southern

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afghanistan today. interesting to point out that some of the youngest marines and soldiers who are over there, the 18-year olds were just seven years old when 9/11 happened 11 years ago. martha? martha: jennifer, thank you. that is such an important point to make t changed the lives and paths of so many careers of people who decided they wanted to defend their country. bill: so true. martha: leave what they were doing and fight on battlefields in afghanistan and iraq. as jennifer points out, some of them doing are seven, eight years old at the time this happened. for them those pictures look like a movie from another time but something they live with and for in many ways every single day. our thanks to jennifer griffin at the pentagon. bill: before we came on the air you heard some of the families down there at ground zero talk about how some of kids are in college and set to graduate from high school. what a path they have taken. joining me now, retired four-star general jack keane,

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former vice chief of staff for the army and also a fox news military analyst and good morning, to you, sir. >> good morning, bill. bill: when you analyze the war on terror 11 years down the road now it is stunning how unrecognizeable al qaeda is today. yes they want to do harm but 11 years later, this group, the fight was truly taken to them, and now you wonder, the future for this organization, how capable or incapable they might be, how do you reflect on that today, general? >> well, first of all i was in the pentagon that day and i lost 85 of my teammates and attended over 40 something funerals. this thing has been personal for a long time for me and like all americans, i mean i think the al qaeda, you know, really struck at the soul of america. it wasn't a military on military attack. it was an attack on the wonderful people of america.

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and i think while al qaeda had a tactical success that day, and you have to give them that in the cold, hard analysis, i believe it has, from the very outset it would lead to their strategic defeat because, they were attacking the people of america because they fundamentally believed that we were morally weak and they could break us. they knew they couldn't break our military but they thought they could break our people. they don't understand us. the strength of america, our character, our values, our moral fiber is what is coming back at themthese years. they are no longer a global organization. they don't have the reach they had. they're limited very regionally in terms of what they can do. we have made significant inroads. they are back on their heels as an organization, but they live today. they are still alive because fundamentally, bill, they are an ideology. they are a political movement and they have a big idea. and it deals with their idea of the world and world

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domination. so there are still people who are drawn to that ideology but our people, our military, has lost twice as many people as we lost on 9/11 these last 11 years and our intelligence service and our police services have done such a remarkable job in keeping america safe since 9/11. it is truly remarkable what our people and what our law enforcement and intelligence and military people have done. bill: the president is arriving now and we'll await the wreath-laying ceremony there. a few speeches to be made as well. so we will bring that to our viewers. general, you started to talk about the people you lost on this day 11 years ago. how did, given your military career and based on the experience you have and the things you have seen in your time, how did this day change you? >> it was a seminal event i think for everybody just as the american people who experienced it, even for military professionals who have had other experiences in their life.

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it is certainly changed my life. i've been personally involved in trying to defeat the al qaeda ever since. i didn't know much about them to be quite frank about it before 9/11 and i know a lot about them now. even though i'm a retired officer i'm still engaged in this fight. i will not give it up as long as there is something left in me to contribute to that. the loss was personal to be sure and the suffering was real. but on that day as you have pointed out so many times and others have as well, it is, much is the sorrow as the grief took place that day, what a moment in terms of the character of our people and how everyday people responded with heroism and true values to help each other. truly a remarkable day in terms of americans and how they care about each other. martha: general, that you think that our forces who have been fighting in this fight, are the best that we have ever had or ever seen? >> there's no doubt about it. there is a 9/11 generation

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inside the military. there is a 9/11 generation inside the central intelligence agency and it's truly remarkable how people have come forward since 9/11 who want to be a part of it. when a soldier enlists or a marine enlists or a seaman enlists they know they're going to war and they have been coming ever since 9/11. we have no shortage of people volunteering to be part of the military. they know they're going to war and know they're risking their life. how wonderful is this country we have people of character like that. martha: and people like you. general, thank you so much. you have spent a tremendous amount of time, it should be pointed out on the ground in iraq and afghanistan helping to provide intelligence and understanding of what's going on there, to our top leaders in, at the pentagon. so we thank you for that and we thank you for being with us today, general. it is always a pleasure to have you. >> thank you, martha. >> stunning thing to hear him talk about the 9/11

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generation volunteering for the u.s. military knowing they would be sent off to war. a 9/11 generation within the cia whose sole purpose to defeat the enemy that brought the war to our shores 11 years ago. martha: extraordinary men and women. if there is anything good that has come from that it is the tremendous spirit we've seen at home and abroad in that generation. bill: we're awaiting on the pentagon now. in a matter of moments, 9:37 a.m., that is the time of observeance for american airlines flight 77 that struck the pentagon. there were 184 lives taken that day, intertwined for eternity at 9:37 a.m. jennifer griffin was taking us through the pentagon memorial there, the age of the victim, the youngest being three years old on board that flight. the oldest being 71 years old, also on board flight 77. those memorials and the seats that are placed out there are elegant and simple. each memorial unit containing a pool of water, reflecting light in the

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evenings onto a bench surrounding a gravel field. as jennifer pointed out it is a must-see stop in washington, d.c. when you're there for a visit. >> worth remembering what it felt like when the plane hit the pentagon, everybody wondered what is next? >> that was unbelievable, i remember when those reports first started colling through that the pentagon had been hit. the initial response was that it couldn't be. that they could not be expanding as far as it was. fear that struck what was next, was it the capitol, was it the white house? that of course led to the realization in shanksville, indeed there was another target and we saw the heroes carrying out the part of that story. there is president obama. the first lady, michelle obama as they come onto this really sacred place as they begin to do the wreath-placing at the pentagon

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[playing of "taps"]

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>> please direct your attention to the pentagon memorial flagpole to your right, in honor of patriot day, and in remembrance of the 184 lives lost at the pentagon, the flag is flying at half-staff. ladies and gentlemen, the national anthem of the united states. [playing of "the star-spangled banner"]

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[playing of the star-spangled banner] ♪ . >> ladies and gentlemen, the

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united states army chief of chaplains, major general donald rutherford. >> let us pray. oh, god our refuge and strength, our every present help in trouble, remember the events of september 11, 2001, we pray for all those who grief today. for those who witnessed and survived the attacks, those who came to rescue, to save and protect, all the souls who were lost, remembering especially those who names are eternally etched into this memorial, on a day when the worst was visited upon our nation, our spirits are forever inspired by the acts of heroic valor we witnessed at ground zero, in a pennsylvania field and here at the pentagon. we pray for the selfless men and women who have been called to defend our country, in the ways of freedom both

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at home and abroad. inspired by their legacy, we ask for continued courage and strength of spirit to safely serve our military and our nation. we are thankful divine healer, that in our time of loss, that you do not abandon us to our grief. throw out your healing balm upon us that we may do your work, sharing peace with justice, offering forgiveness and building community and walking with others into abundant life for all. hear us, lord god, as we join us in prayer today, in your holy name we pray, amen. >> 11 years ago at 9:37 a.m. the pentagon was attacked. please join us in observing a moment of silence to remember those who perished.

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[moment of silence] [bells ringing] >> the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, general martin dempsey. >> mr. president, mrs. obama, mr. secretary, distinguished guests, good morning and thank you all for being here. my wife did. idi and i offer a special welcome to the family and friends of those we lost on these ground 11 years ago today. one of them was chief warrant officer, women ruth. his memorial bench of granite and steel sits in

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the last row in front of me, 7th in from the far right. bill served as a marine in vietnam, flying helicopters. after the war he became a social studies teacher and joined the army national guard serving in the first gulf war as a medevac pilot. he was loved by his students. they were proud of his service and moved by his deep commitment to them and to our nation. one student said, he opened up my eyes and my heart to the world. many others inspired by his example became teachers, nurses, firefighters, and several followed him into the life of the military. bill retired from the classroom after nearly 30 years and returned to serve in the pentagon. there is no doubt among his colleagues that he lost his life that fateful morning because in the middle of the chaos, he stopped to help somebody. there were thousands like bill that day. they remind us that life takes on meaning only as the causes to which we attach ourselves have meaning.

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that in the end we become what we are through some cause we make our own. september 11th will stand apart not because of what we say about courage, sacrifice, and character. of course it is all of those things, but also because what those things say about all of us, all americans. so today, as we remember the 184 lives that ended here, and all who perished in new york and in somerset county, pennsylvania, let us commit ourselves to the ideals for which they lived and in which they believed. let us also honor the generation they inspired to step forward to defend our nation, a generation who fought in iraq, and who still fight in afghanistan. let us rededicate our own lives to the cause of giving back to our great nation for as one of our nation's leaders said, the strength of our democracy has always rested on the willingness of those who believe in its values and in their will to

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serve. to give something pack to this country. and now it is my privilege to introduce to you the man who spoke those words and who lives them every day, our secretary of defense, lee on panetta. [applause] >> mr. president, mrs. obama, general dempsey, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, and in particular the family members who lost a loved one here on 9/11. 11 years ago on a morning, very much like this, terrorists attacked the symbols of american strength, our economy, and our commerce, our military might,

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and our democracy. and took the lives of citizens from more than 90 countrys. it was the worst terrorist attack on america in our history. today people gather, across the united states, around the world, to remember the tragic events of 9/11. some take part in ceremonies like this. others spend time in quiet reflection, and prayer. and all of us take a moment to remember again where we were at that fateful moment. here together as one family, we paused to honor and to pray and to remember 184 lives lost at the pentagon.

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more than 2700 killed in lower manhattan, and the 40 who perished in that field in pennsylvania on flight 93. these victims, families, remember those who were lost as mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters. the family members here today, know that the entire nation, the entire nation, joins you in mourning the loss of your loved ones. we are honored by your presence. and just as your loved ones are heroes forever, so are all of you. today we also recognize and remember other heroes, those first-responders, who rushed to the scene behind me, into

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the fire, and chaos to save lives and helped in any way possible. we owe all of you a very special debt. we appreciate all you did, to provide aid and comfort to those who needed it so badly. our thoughts also turn to the survivors. on that bright sunny tuesday morning you reported to work with no idea about the tragedy that lay ahead. suddenly this building was rocked by an explosion. after the impact many of you risked your lives to help others. many c smell of the rubble and jet fuel, and some of you knew the victims as office mates and friends and knew their families.

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like 60 years before, a nation at peace, suddenly found itself at war. for all of you, and for every american, this memorial is a permanent place for prayer, and for remembrance. and it is a fitting tribute, to the lives of those so cruelly taken from us, the passengers and crew of flight 77, military and civilian personnel, working here at the pentagon. it is a fitting tribute to all of those who were lost. yesterday i had the opportunity to visit another memorial, the flight 93 national memorial in shanksville. i was reminded of those horrible moments after the hijacking when the passengers and crew were

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able to make frantic calls to speak to their loved ones for the last time. they knew what was at stake and yet they decided to fight back. together they took swift and decisive action to stop yet another attack targeted at the nation's capitol. that spirit of selflessness, that spirit of determination and courage, is the enduring legacy of 9/11. it inspires our nation, it inspires our military, to ensure that such an attack will never happen again. it inspires us to never forget those who perished, to defend our homeland, to defend our ideals, to send a resounding message to our enemies, that no one attacks the united states of america and gets away with it.

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for today, we also recall that out of the shock and sadness of 9/11, came a new sense of unity and resolve. that this would not happen again. it inspired a fierce determination, to fight back and protect our way of life. in trying to attack our strengths, the terrorists unleashed our greatest strength, the spirit and the will of americans to fight for their country. millions of americans responded. a whole new and great generation stepped forward to serve in uniform, to fight this war on terrorism. they bled on distant battlefields. they relentlessly pursued those who would do us harm. they put their lives on the

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line to give all of us a safer and better future. and to bring those behind these attacks to justice. because of their sacrifices, because they were willing to fight and to die, because of their dedication, our nation is stronger and safer today than on 9/11. we never gave up the search for bin laden. we successfully brought him to justice. we decimated the leadership of al qaeda. we have them on the run, and we have made it difficult for them to plan and conduct another 9/11 attack. and while that group is still a threat, we have dealt them a heavy blow and we will continue to fight them in yemen, in somalia, in north africa, wherever they two -- go, to make sure they have no place to hide.

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our troops denied safe haven to al qaeda and its allies in afghanistan and they're fighting so that afghanistan can secure and govern itself. make no mistake, we will continue to pursue and fight our enemies wherever they go, wherever they hide, wherever they try to find refuge. we will never stop until we have made sure that america is safe. on this day of solemn remembrance, let us renew a solemn pledge, to those who died on 9/11 and their families. it is a pledge we also make to all of those who put their lives on the line and who have paid a heavy price for the last 11 years of war. our pledge is to keep fighting, for a safer and stronger future. our pledge is to insure that america always remains a

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government of, by and for all people. that pledge, that legacy, makes clear that no one, no one, who died on that terrible day, 11 years ago, died in vain. they died for a stronger america. this morning we are honored by the presence of our military and civilian leaders and we are particularly honored by the presence of the president and mrs. obama. this president has led our efforts in this fight, and i have honored, been honored to serve with him. it is now my great honor to introduce our commander-in-chief, ladies and gentlemen, president barack obama. [applause]

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>> secretary panetta, general dempsey, members of our armed forces and most importantly to the families, survivors and loved ones of those we lost. michelle and i are humbled to join you again on this solemn anniversary. today we remember a day that began like so many others. there were rides to school and commutes to work. early flights and familiar routines. quick hugs and quiet moments. it was a day like this one, a clear blue sky, but a sky that would soon be filled with clouds of smoke and prayers of a nation shaken to its core. even now, all these years later, it is easy for those

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of us who lived through that day to close our eyes and to find ourselves back there. and back here, back when grief crashed over us like an awful wave, when americans everywhere held each other tight, seeking the reassurance that the world we knew wasn't crumbling under our feet. 11 times we have marked another september 11th come and gone. 11 times we have paused in remembrance and reflection, in unity, and in purpose. this is never an easy day but it is especially difficult for all of you, the families of nearly 3000 innocents who lost their lives. your mothers and fathers, your husbands and wives, your sons and your

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daughters. they were taken from us suddenly and far too soon. to you and your families the rest of us can not begin to imagine the pain you've endured these many years. we will never fully understand how difficult it has been for you to carry on, to summon that strength and to rebuild your lives. but no matter how many years past, no matter how many times we come together on this hallowed ground. no this, that you will never be alone. your loved ones will never be forgotten. they will endure in the hearts of our nation, theyped us make it an america we are today, an america that emerged even stronger. most of the americans we lost that day never considered the possibility of a small band of terrorists halfway around the world could do us that

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much harm. most of us never heard the name al qaeda. it is because of their sacrifice we dealt a crippling blow to the organization that brought evil to our shores. al qaeda's leadership has been devastated and usama bin laden will never threaten us again. our country is safer and our people are resilient. it's true that the majority of those who died on september 11th had never put on our country's uniform and yet they inspired more than five million americans, members of the 9/11 generation, to wear that uniform over the last decade. these men and women have done everything that we have asked. today, the war in iraq is over. in afghanistan we're training afghan security forces and forging a partnership with the afghan people and by the end of 2014, the longest war in our history will be over.

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meanwhile countless civilians opened their hearts to our troops, our military families and our veterans. 11 years ago memorial services were held for americans of different races and creeds, backgrounds and beliefs. and yet instead of turning us against each other tragedy has brought us together. i've always said that our fight is with al qaeda and its affiliates, not with islam or any other religion. this country was built as a beacon of freedom and tolerance. that's what's made us strong. now, and forever. finally when those innocent souls were taken from us, they left behind unfulfilled, unfulfilled work and tasks that remain undone. and that's why on a day when others sought to bring this country down we chose to build it up with a national day of service and

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remembrance. scripture tells us, do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good. there's no better way to honor the best in those who died than by discovering the best in ourselves. this anniversary allows us to renew our faith, that even the darkest night gives way to a brighter dawn. today, we can come here to the pentagon and touch these names and kneel beside a building where a single stone still bears the scars of that fire. we can visit the field of honor in pennsylvania an and remember heroes who made us safer. we see water cascading into the footprints of the twin towers and gaze up a new tower rising above the new york skyline. even though we may never be able to fully the burden

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carried by those left behind we know that somewhere a is growing up with his father's eyes and a daughter has her mother's laugh. living reminders that those who died are with us still. so as painful as this day is and always will be, it leaves us with a lesson, that no single event can ever destroy who we are. no act of terrorism can ever change what we stand for. instead we recommit ourselves to the values that we believe in, holding firmly without waivering to the hope that we confess. that's the commitment that we reaffirm today. and that's why when the history books are written, the true legacy of 9/11 will not be one of fear or hate or division. it will be a safer world, a stronger nation, and a

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people more united than ever before. god bless the memories of those we lost and god bless these united states of america. [applause] bill: this is never an easy day he said and no, indeed it is not. civilians from 90 different countries, their lives taken on this day 11 years ago. ♪ .

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♪ martha: watch the moment falling of the south tower. this was the second tower hit and first one to fall. that moment was absolutely unbelievable, when the realization kicked in that the towers were not only hit but they were coming down. and george pataki was the governor of new york then and remembers that day all too well. we welcomed here many times the governor of new york and we welcome him again this morning on the 11th anniversary of that day. good morning everybody, i'm martha maccallum, in with bill hemmer as we welcome you to hour two of our coverage in "america's newsroom.". george pataki joins us.

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your thoughts on this day, governor? >> good morning, martha. it is 11 years later yet it feels the same. i think 11 years from now it will feel the same. you still have that tremendous sense of loss, that sorrow, that understanding of the magnitude of what we sacrificed on that horrible day. but just as i felt 11 years ago, today, i too feel the sense of pride about how new yorkers and americans responded, the courage we showed then, the courage our brave young men and women in the military show today. so, out of that tragedy, out of that sorrow, i think we can feel pride about the greatness of this country and how people responded. bill: governor, curious to get your thought on why the political speeches were removed from the ceremonies this year and, whether or not you think it was a good idea? perhaps that is precedent

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from this da >> bill, think it was a great idea. this is not a day for political speeches. this is not a day for bragging about what you've done or others have done. this is a day to remember, this is a day to reflect and to give thanks for the lives of we lost and for those who continue to put their lives on the line. you know, and i got here early this morning and i went over by the side of the memorial where the names are engraved and i was standing there and this elderly gentleman in a fireman's uniform came up and gave me a hug and said, i'm looking for my son, and that's what september 11th is about. it's about remembering those we lost. it is about helping and supporting and praying for those who are still here and still feeling this pain. and it's a time to look forward with the confidence we're entitled to have as americans. so it's an emotional day today, 11 years later.

[bells ringing] martha: as they begin to state the names at shanksville, which is the tradition that is held at all three of the sites of september 11th where those planes went down. we remember the 40 people who died, crew and members aboard that plane as those heroes tried to overtake the hijackers once they realized what was happening and they heard from their loved ones what they had already seen on the ground. todd beamer we remember those words. let's roll, as all the effort got underway on that plane. we go back to new york, as we see names. always struck how long it takes to read the names and how many there are and how many families continue to grieve all these years later. >> there are so many names. one of the important things is not to get caught up in

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numbers. each of those names represents a life, an individual. many of them true heroes on september 11th and before. 343 firefighters. 47 port authority authority police. what we're doing here at ground zero, is not just having those names permanently etched at the scene of this horrible attack, but we'll tell the individual stories in the my see qum that -- museum that will be constructed here. it is important not just on september 11th put we teach future generations every day but the courage that people showed and freedoms too many americans took for granted before those terrible attacks. martha: governor, we're looking at video of you on that day and days that followed, walking around ground zero. what do you remember about your own actions, when you started to remember about your own actions in the state that you governed? >> like everyone, at first

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how could this be happening. when the second plane hit you knew we were under attack. at that point it is something, i don't think any of us had ever experienced before, you have to almost set aside emotion, when you're a leader you have to get things done. the city, state, federal government, ordinary citizens, everyone came together in a way that was truly inspirational. one of the sad things 11 years late,, that sense of unity and common identity of americans who were attacked is something we don't see now. we have to struggle and work to try to reclaim that. so whatever superficially seems to divide us, we're all americans. we all share so much. we all wish for a better future for every one of us and for this great country. bill: those days were long

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day, governor. i remember spending time with you down at the site. the days moved into nights and nights moved into days. here we are now years down the road, 11 of them behind us, but yet perhaps the infiling continues at the site behind you. a greer ago we were promised ago the museum would be open this year and that has not happened. now it is projected a year or two down the road from now. for people living outside of new york, they're looking at the battle and think, why just you can't get it done? internally here in new york, new jersey, connecticut, there are thousands an thousands of lives that have been changed forever and they were all entitled to a share and a stake in what was to be built there. and it wasn't so easy in the end and we're still working through that now, aren't we, governor? >> it was difficult the whole way through. it is not just technically difficult. it is also emotionally difficult because this is

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sacred ground. there were great many competing emotions and competing ideas. but, bill, what we were able to do is set aside all the egos. it wasn't about who got credit for what, it was about getting it done. i have to say i am disappointed for almost a year construction on the museum just came to a halt and i'm reading today, there's supposed to be an agreement. i hope that people have come together and are going to do the right thing for the people. that is always what it has been about. that is what it has to be about. let us hope from this point forward that is how things proceed. bill: thank you, governor george pataki reflecting on this date. thank you, sir. we'll see you in studio again. okay? >> thank you, bill. bill: from shanksville, pennsylvania, we don't want to leave that quickly. that too had its own issues that memorial getting established, funding dependent in order to put up a wall of names and memorial plaza in shanksville, pennsylvania. we'll see vice president joe

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biden a little later today. martha: this day of remembrance continues. as we go to break we listen to the continued lengthy reading of more and more names who are victims of that terrorist attack on september 11th. we remember. we'll be right back. >> steven leon howell. >> michael c., harold. >> miladros ramada. >> jennifer l. howly. >> stefen hutchko, jr.. >> marion kerchek. >> paul hughes. >> chris robert hughes. >> susan huey. >> robert hughes, jr..

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>> john humbard,, jr.. >> timothy robert hughes. >> kathleen anne, hunt casey. >> lamar holt. >> and my big brother, louis jimenez, jr.. we miss you. i love you and i want to give a special shoutout to friends, family for support during these tough times, keeping us strong. thank you. >> william christopher hunt. joseph gerard hunter. and my uncle, donald joseph reagan. a firefighter from rescue 3. he was a well-loved son, brother, husband, father, now a grandfather. cousin and friend to many. thank you. >> robert r. hussa i was born wi.

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without shriners hospitals, my life would be completely different. they gave me my future back. send your love to the rescue. donate to shriners hospitals, today.

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>> there is a huge explosion. every win is running in the other direction. we're on church street. we're not sure what happened. there has been a huge explosion. everyone's running for their lives, literally. police, media, i see a woman pushing a baby carriage. here combs the smoke. here comes the smoke. bill: they were running for their lives. rick leventhal reporting from the morning of the attacks. bill: at bottom of your screen you see the ticker not carrying headlines, recognizing those we lost on this day 11 years ago. it will take at least 3 hours and 30 minutes for all those names to roll across your screen. tim brown's a former new york city firefighter and survived the fall of both towers, having been one of the first to respond to the call and he is with us now.

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sir, good morning to you. >> good morning, bill. bill: then again, september 11th. there was significant news that crossed yesterday with regard to first-responders and health of those at ground zero. for the first time the government by way of cdc has recognized numerous types of cancers that could have been caused or related to the coverage down there when folks like yourself was there. what do you make of that conclusion 11 years, later, tim? >> certainly that is the right conclusion. in general, it is harder for the medical professionals to identify this. it takes years and years to identify a cause for these cancers. so i think, in the big picture, this is a very good thing. just last week, the new york city fire department added nine more names to the memorial wall, which brings the number to 64 firefighters who died as a result of the dust of 9/11. i suspect now that that

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number is going to grow. the last number i heard for the new york city police department was 53 new york city police officers. so we have to remember that this terrible act, this terrible terrorist act is still killing us to this day. bill: there were statistics from 2010, tim, new york state department of health. nearly 350 first-responders had died of cancer at that time. that was nine years afterwards. >> yeah. i mean this number will continue to grow. i spoke with my friend denny mcdonough, retired now, who found out he had throat cancer a few months ago. he is battling that now. he said to me this morning that this number is just going to continue to explode. it reminds me of the telephone company fire back in the '70s where nearly every firefighter that responded it that died from cancer as a result of that fire. i am sadly think that we're

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on that trajectory right now. bill: asthma has been covered. post-traumaic stress disorder. a range of lung and airway disorders talked about and settled in the past. skin cancer, breast cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer all new on that list. >> yeah. bill: how are you doing, tim. >> i'm doing fine. i feel very lucky. i suspect at some point, you knowing something will happen. physically i'm fine. of course today is very emotional for me as it is for all my brothers and the families but we're doing our best. it was gratifying to hear last night they found an agreement on the museum. i know that is very important to the families and the first-responders that we see the installations and we begin telling the story for the future generations because, we're not getting any younger here. so we have to leave the legacy. we have to teach our children the truth about what happened that day. bill: tim, thank you. >> thanks. bill: tim brown, we meet again on this day. thank you for coming. martha: vindication for him.

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he fought that fight to have that recognition since the original september 11th. good for tim brown and thanks for him being here today. this is as we all know, a solemn day of remembrance. it is 11 years since the terrorist attacks of september 11th. we are now waiting for vice president joe biden. he will speak at the memorial in shanksville, pennsylvania, and when he does, we will bring that to you live. we'll be back with more on september 11th, 2012 in "america's newsroom." [ female announcer ] want to spend less and retire with more?

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>> i can hear you. the rest of the world hears you, and the people -- [cheers and applause]

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and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon. [cheers and applause] martha: who can forget that moment, and the arm around bob beckwith the firefighter in downtown new york in the days following september 11th. right now on the left-hand side of your screen we're waiting for vice president joe biden to speak in shanksville and we'll bring you there as soon as that gets underway. president obama just spoke at the pentagon a little while ago. one of the things that he mentioned was that the war in afghanistan will be over in 2014. i want to bring in john bolton, fox news contributor, former u.n. ambassador to the u.n. welcome to you today. >> thanks for having me. martha: a lot of things go through your mind of course on this day but i want to talk to you about the violence that continues in iraq, in pakistan. there's a bombing that just crossed the wireses moments

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ago and the president, as we mentioned, you know, very resolute about ending these wars and bringing everybody home. your thoughts? >> well, of course we're focused on the victims of 9/11 today appropriately but i think we shouldn't lose sight of the big picture that they were attacked and killed because they were americans on american soils from foreign lands. this is day like december 7th, 1941 like franklin roosevelt said it is a day that will live ininfamy. it was terrorist attack and demonstrates there is hateful hatred for united states in the world. that continues in afghanistan, pakistan, in countries all over the region. so as we remember this terrible tragedy, we should not forget that the risk remains, and indeed the risk

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may be growing graver as the terrorists and their state sponsors look for nuclear chemical and biological weapons to carry out their next terrorist attack. martha: yeah, obviously a lot of concern about iran and the terrorist groups that they sponsor. but, in terms of the wars, in terms of iraq and afghanistan, everyone is always, we all love to see those images of our soldiers and marines to coming home and embraced by their families but it raises questions about the way we have exited iraq and whether or not, you know, some who want to do harm were just waiting for that date for us to leave so they could move back in. there is a piece this morning on the rebirth, really or regeneration of al qaeda in iraq. you've got al qaeda in yemen which the president has been resolute in attacking by drones primarily. >> well-being of course we don't want to be political on a day like this but let's not forget that the number

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two leader of al qaeda in yemen who was just killed in a drone attack had been held at guantanamo bay for six years before he was released. in the bush administration to be sure at a time when many people were criticizing the very existence of guantanamo bay. if we had held him in guantanamo we wouldn't need to attack him with drones because he returned to the terrorist business and i think it is refleck shun of the determination, fanaticism if you will of our adversaries. our strategic defenses don't change because americans grow tired of wars that are not adequately explained and defended to them by their leadership, but the threats don't go away just because we don't talk about the dangers we face from radicals and extremists and those who would do us ill overseas. martha: one thing we all learned on september 11th was the patience of al qaeda and they continue to be patient and to organize and

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to make attempts. so, ambassador bolton, we thank you very much for being with us today. good to have you, sir. >> thank you for having me. bill: we're 2 1/2 minutes away from another moment of silence. that will be the time that we mark the collapse of the north tower. 102 minutes after it was struck. first one struck, last one to fall. outside of 7 world trade which was the tower that came down much later in the day, well past 5:00 in the evening after a fire just gutted that building. no one luckily, fortunately was inside that building and no one died as a result of 7 world trade. so we await that moment of silence as they continue again to read the names. negative advertisings has been taken off the air. governor romney is currentry in route to reno nevada, to talk about the members of the national guard. on those somber day those

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who would attack us know we're united one nation under god in our determination to stop them and to stand tall for peace and freedom at home and across the world, end quote, from governor romney. >> james patrick leahy. [bells ringing ♪

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>> joseph levy. martha: emotion is still raw. dissolving into tears of children now 11 years older as they remember their dads. very difficult time for firefighters, for the, folks who tried to rescue people in those buildings, for the wall street community that was hit so hard, in surrounding areas in manhattan and connecticut and new jersey and all the families who lost so many people in that tragic, tragic event. we're waiting for vice president joe biden. he will be speaking at shanksville moments away and the next moment of silence

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that marks the fall of the last tower

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thing i notice when i speak to you about it, you're invested in this place. it is sort of has a sort of stolen a piece of your heart. and, that's why i'm confident that all that you plan will happen. patrick, you're keeping the flame alive and, keeping families together, is my experience, i imagine you all find solace in seeing one another. there is nothing like being able to talk with someone who you know, you know understands and, it is an

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honor. call families. wish you weren't here. wish we didn't have to commemorate any of this. it is. bittersweet moment for the entire nation. for all of the country. particularly for those family members gathered here today. last year the nation and. all of family members want to try to crack it? yeah, that's the way to do it!

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>> a great deal of debris and soot in the air. when the explosion first took place you couldn't literally see the nose on your face. the entire street as you can see right here is covered with soot. the authorities are asking the

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media and everyone to move back from the world trade center. there is still fear that there is a risk of further building collapse. martha: david lee miller reporting on that fateful morning. joined by peter king the chairman of the house homeland security committee an is down at ground zero and joins me now. congressman, welcome. good to speak with you today. >> thank you, martha, thank you very much. martha: you have done so much work on the homeland security committee to help keep the nation safe over the course of these eleven years. your thoughts on the number of attacks that have been thwarted and how we are doing in that effort? >> actually, martha we are doing very well. all of us lost so many friends and neighbors constituents on september 11th. i remember being here with president bush a few days afterwards and all of us expected another attack, nobody thought the world trade center would come back the way it has. here in new york city alone there have been 14 attacks attempted in new york since

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9/11. what has been going on in york with the n be ypd we are much safer than at 9/11. having said that the enemy has also adapted. they are trying to recruit people under the radar screen and we have to be on our guard as much as we ever were because the last thing we ever want to do is see any type of terrorist attack succeed in this country. martha: we have to be nimble, and those who want to hurt us are constantly evolving and trying to think around ways to get by the things we have put in place. we were just at the conventions and the perimeters around those buildings and the difficulty getting into them. a lot of people started complaining that it was over done, that we've sort of gone too far protecting every single building that houses he's kinds of events across the country.

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what do you think about that? >> nobody would have said that on september 12th. the fact is we all said on september 11th that we now live in a new world, part of that new world means we have to have security that we didn't have before and at times it can be annoying and slow us down but i'd rather be delayed five, ten, 15 minutes than be blown apart or have my children or grandchildren blown apart. that is the world we live in. we have to alway to adjust and adapt. sometimes we can modify some of the security, sometimes we have to increase it. i see the intelligence reports, i know and others know as well, certainly commissioner megyn kelly lee hermegyn kelly leeke commission commissioner kelly here in new york knows. we can look at all the countries where al-qaida has morphed too,

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i can understand people being frustrated. the fact is i'd rather be frustrated than dead. martha: what is your biggest concern right now? >> two concerns. one is because we have not been successfully attacked american people will think the threat is no longer there. in this presidential campaign no one is talking about the threat of terrorism it's as if it's perfectly harbor or gettysburg, something that happened a longtime ago, this is a real and constant threat. and the other part of the danger is that we start pulling back on homeland security, that we not realize how important it is that we continue to spend money and fund it, that we continue to train our police and firefighters, that we continue to have a lee and son between federal, state and local police. if a terrorist makes it to a train with a bomb, if he makes it onto a plane with a bomb, to a train, a bridge or a tunnel chances are he's going to

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succeed. it's our job to stop them before they get there and that can only be done by intelligence work, by aggressive police work and we can't have groups like the civil liberties union or "the new york times" constantly attacking organizations bike the nypd who are doing such a phenomenal job. martha: civilians in many cases have also done their part, when they see something, say something which has been extraordinarily effective if you look back at some of these attempts and plans. congressman king it's always nice to have you with us. thank you so much, sir. >> thank you, martha. thank you for having me on this day. bill: the reflecting pool with the waterfall. we uncovered a new story yesterday with regard to what happened 11 years ago. there was a note that was found, 84th floor it read west office 12 people trapped. and now we know that that note was written by randy scott, a resident of the state of connecticut on the morning of september 11th, 2001. it has since been referred to his stamford, connecticut home

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and his wife and flee daughters. his wife said she spent ten years hoping randy with us not trapped in that building, you don't want them to suffer and then you get this ten years later and it just changes everything. you have likely noticed at the bottom of the screen the names of those we lost 11 years ago and the shear numbers on this date are overwhelming. it will take more than three and a half hours for all those names to move across the screen and be complete. as the memorial service continues in lower manhattan, so too does our coverage on this september 11th, 2012. ♪ proud to be homegrown ♪ a familiar face and a name you know ♪ ♪ can you hear it? ♪ fueling the american spirit ♪ no matter when, no matter where ♪ ♪ marathon will take you there

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♪ fueling the american spirit

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bill: politics taking a back seat as we mark this day. want to present in bob bechkel. and cohost of the five. we have you on every tuesday. good mourn. x want to continue our tradition today. kind of a kindler, gentler bob

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and and tkraoe a andrea. the the politicians were not given speaking positions today. what do you think about that. >> i think after you have eleven years past, bill it's no important to do what they are doing today, which is reflecting, and the campaigns are taking a break and it's actually nice, because this campaign season has and will continue to be, i think, so nasty and so devisive. looking back eleven years ago, we weren't republicans, we weren't democrats, we all came together as americans. the issue at the time was national security, but bill i will say this the biggest issue facing us today has to do with our debt and our deficit. and god forbid we're ever attacked again but we have to make sure that we do come together to fix these problems so that going forward if we are attacked our books are in order, so we can stay strong. we look at these first responders, they rely on us to fund their salaries. if we are wasting money, if we are not managing our books across the country in new york

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city we cannot stay nationally secure without that kind of money. so it's very important to keep in mind. >> bob, what do you think of this? >> i think andrea almost got that whole thing without politicizing it until the end. i agree completely. every your years, every presidential campaign season for several years will be -- you won't have a campaign going on today. i noticed that mittromney said it was time for us to be united, i thought that was exactly the right tone to stress, and what the president said this morning i think was there. you know, i think it does, it feels like a relief almost. it's a sad thing to have to find relief from campaigns by remembering this horrific day, but on the other hand it does give us a time to take a breath, and i think that is important. martha: i mean, it does remind us, as you point out, both of you, how unified the country was in the days after that. you saw american flags flying from people's cars everywhere,

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from their homes. it was a very, very patriotic, strong moment for america in the face of so much tragedy, and so much pain, and andrea one of the political things that has been difficult to resolve has been this museum, you know, it was supposed to open today, and a lot going back and forth across the river between new york and new jersey, and the mayor, and the governors of those two states. your thoughts on that? >> yeah, you know, unfortunately even though bob and i can take a break with you and bill today on politics, you know, politics in new jersey and new york city has been pretty intense and there's been a lot of back and forth, and i know that the victims have been upset by this. they've been upset because they haven't seen the freedom tower erected as quickly as possible and they feel this should be done by now. if you read the editorial pages, i write for the daily news, they've covered the back and forth and it is heart wrenching. i will say this. they are working as fast as they can. i know they said the tower would be up and the museum would be

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up, but there are people that are dedicated to this and have been and they do deserve credit. it's not easy in a city like this. martha: a tough road. thank you very much andrea and bob, always good to have you with us and we'll see you guys tonight. the nation remembers today, we think of the victims and families from september 11th. the names being read in new york city at ground zero and also this morning at shanks villai shankville and the pentagon as well. herman cain will join us with his thoughts on this day in a little bit. "america's newsroom" will be back right after this.

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bill: beefee been watching the memorial ceremonies in new york, the pentagon, shanksville, pennsylvania, the date marking eleven years since 9/11.

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herman cain is a former republican presidential candidate, ceo of cain solutions. thank you for joining us to share your thoughts and insights on this. oftentimes people outside of new york say we give too much time and attention to this. and had it happened in another part of the country that it would not get the media attention it gets. that doesn't ring true with me. and i'm wondering from your perspective in atlanta, georgia how it looks from there. >> i don't believe that you give it too much attention, because we need to remember 9/11 because of the victims and their families, and the sacrifices that they made, and the first responders. but we also need to remember 9/11 and this event every year because of two things that i heard prime minister benjamin netanyahu say in a speech that i was in the audience shortly after it happened. he said two things america has to learn and remember, number one, terrorism is not going to

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go away, it's going to be here for a long, long, longtime. and then the second thing that was almost chilling is when he said, you must understand that the terrorists want to kill all of us. so because of that i don't think we spend too much attention, or you don't spend too much attention reminding people that we have to remain vigilant. bill: i was living in atlanta, georgia on september 11th 2001. all i could think of the hundreds ofs of people in the tore us and the hundreds of thousands of people on the sidewalk when the towers came down. what were you doing that day. >> i was in orland today, florida playing golf with a great friend. he got a call from his executive assistant that said a plane had flown into one of the towers. we thought maybe an airplane had just gone arye. when he got that second call

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minutes later and said this a second plane had gone in we immediately headed back to the clubhouse, because we knew this was no accident. and we sat there with many of the others that had just abandoned the golf course, obviously, watching in shock as to what was going on. that's where i was, and i'll never forget it, and i don't think many people will ever forget where they were the moment they realized that the united states of america had been viciously attacked. bill: none of us will. on september 10th on the 10:00 broadcast in the evening our lead story was the rumored return of michael jordan to the nba and we went to bed that night, vocational up in the morning in an entirely different universe. herman cain thank you for your time in atlanta, georgia. >> thank you, bill. martha: everybody remembers on this day where they were when they heard the news and when they started to watch that was unfolding before them on television sets across the country.

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it's always a very emotional day. look at this little boy, for all of these families who are there remembering today. coming up the man who became the nation's first secretary of homeland security, we didn't have one before all of this. and he took that post in the wake of the september 11th attacks, tom ridge coming up, we'll be right back. [ male announcer ] inside the v8 taste lab.

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martha: we listen to the names as they continue on, three and a half hours to read those names. you see the crawl going across the bottom of our screen as they are on the names that begin with i at this point, not even halfway through the alphabet. bill: we will hand off to our colleagues now at "happening now" on this september 11th, thank you for being with us. >> and my father james imado, love you dad and miss you ever day. >> and my father, calexo ryan jr.

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>> steven bruce b u.n. an. >> and my fiance firefighter joseph j. ogrin, i love and miss you so very much. until we meet again. >> al-qaida's leadership has been devistated and osama bin laden will never threaten us again. our country is safer and our people are resilient. ♪ ♪